From the Liveblog of
Friday, February 20, 2026
Iran FM: US didn’t request zero enrichment, talks are on how Iran’s nuke program can be peaceful
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Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says that the US has not requested zero enrichment from Tehran, and that instead talks are on how its nuclear program — including enrichment — can be carried out peacefully.
“The US side has not asked for zero enrichment,” Araghchi tells MSNBC.
“What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful, and would remain peaceful forever,” he says, contradicting comments from US officials.
Iran would undertake “confidence-building measures,” Araghchi says, adding that there would be both technical measures and political commitments to make sure that the program remained “peaceful.”
Araghchi points to the presence of IAEA chief Rafael Grossi at recent talks, saying that he was involved in discussions on potential technical measures.
Tehran has long pushed back on the idea that it would fully give up its ability to enrich.
While Iran, whose leaders are sworn to destroy Israel, denies it seeks nuclear weapons, it has enriched uranium to levels that have no peaceful application, obstructed international inspectors from checking its nuclear facilities, and expanded its ballistic missile capabilities.
The Times of Israel Community.